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Sorry, y’all, I’m in giveaway overload this month! Can’t help it if my friends are releasing awesome shit all at once, you know?

I’m sure most of y’all have heard all about this fabulous little book by now – The Sewtionary, written by Tasia of Sewaholic (one of my FAVORITE sewing pattern companies! Seriously, some top 5 shit right there). A couple of months ago, Tasia reached out and asked if I’d like to be a part of her Sewtionary Blog Tour to help promote the book. While I do realize that blog tours can be a little redundant if you read the same blogs over and over (I know I can sometimes get jaded at looking at the same photos/reading the same gushing daily for 2 weeks or whatever), I really wanted to help promote this book because I really do give a shit about Tasia and her business. She’s one of my friends, and I like to do things for my friends. Plus, the book is beyond excellent- a great resource of 101 sewing techniques, written out like a dictionary. The photos are beautiful, each technique includes why it’s necessary (something my nerdy brain just loves), and it’s spiral-bound, so it’ll lay nice and flat on your sewing table. Lots of wins here!

Anyway, that’s about as much of a review as you’ll get from me (if you want a true review, definitely check out some of the tour stops that I’ll be linking at the bottom of this post!). Today, I wanted to do something different. I’m going to share a tutorial from the book with y’all .Everyone likes tutorials, right? 🙂

Today’s tutorial: Making a Tailor’s Ham & Seam Roll.

First up – you’re probably thinking, “What the hell are these things and why the fuck would I spend my time making them?” Well, I’m so glad you asked! Both are used as pressing aids – the Tailor’s Ham is a big pillow-shaped tool that is used for pressing curved areas (such as darts and necklines), and the Seam Roll is a long, narrow stuffed tube that is used to press hard-to-reach seams (such as the inside of a sleeve), as well as a helpful way to avoid making seam allowance impressions on the right side of your garment. While I have a Tailor’s Ham that I’ve used for for years (and no lie, my cat literally uses that shit as a pillow when she naps on my ironing board), I’ve yet to get a Seam Roll. They are both great to have, but can easily cost you $20+ a pop when you buy them from the fabric store. So here’s where we learn to make our own – at the delightful price of FREE NINETY-NINE. You heard me!

You will need:
– Large scraps of wool fabric & cotton fabric. Try to choose something with a dense weave that does not stretch, that is 100% (aka – no poly blends!). I used leftover wool coating from my Vogue Coat and black quilting cotton.
– Something to stuff it with. Traditionally, these things use sawdust. You can also use cedar shavings (from a pet supply store), wool fabric scraps, or even old nylon stockings. For the purposes of this tutorial, I am using sawdust. It is *extremely* messy. It is also extremely free. No lie, I just waltzed right into my local Home Depot and asked for a bag of sawdust, back where they cut wood to spec. I can’t speak for other countries (Tasia tells me that you can’t sell sawdust in Canada, say whaaaat), but here in the good ol’ US of A, lots of hardware stores will give you free sawdust because they would otherwise throw it away. My sawdust man also informed me that it makes a nice mulch for the garden. Isn’t that handy!
– Sewing machine, thread, and hand sewing needles.
– Outdoor space, or a really really good broom. I told you, this shit was messy. You have been warned.

Here are the instructions, Sewtionary-Style. Told y’all that book is just lovely.

Now here are my steps.

TO MAKE THE TAILOR’S HAM:

I found it easiest to start with a paper pattern piece, since the shape is so weird. You’ll want to make your ham 14″ long; 10″ wide at the wide end and 8″ wide at the narrower end. This will result in a bit of an egg shape.

Using your paper pattern piece, cut one egg from both the wool and the cotton.

Pin the pieces, right sides together, leaving a nice 5″ gap at the wide end. PROTIP: Whenever I’m sewing something that requires an unsewn gap, I mark each end with a double pin. This reminds me to stop sewing when I get to the double pin! Otherwise, I’ll just keep going my merry way and complete the circle, which is exactly what we don’t want right now.

Using a 1/2″ seam allowance, sew around the entire circumference of the ham, again leaving that 5″ gap at the wide end. Make sure it’s 5″, too – you’ll need the room for stuffing (don’t make it more than 5″, or you’ll hate yourself for it).

Turn the ham right side out.

Ok, time to get messy! Take that ham outside and start stuffing your stuffing in it! If you are using sawdust, expect a big mess that will get everywhere.

Instead of just quickly trying to fill the ham with sawdust, take the time to pack down the sawdust with each handful. The narrow end of the ham especially needs to be packed pretty tight, or else it will collapse. Once you’ve packed it down, work on the next section and pack that. Again – this IS messy, and it will take longer than you think, because sawdust loves to pretend it’s tightly packed when it’s secretly not. You want the ham to be pretty hard so it will retain it’s shape. When you think it’s full – keep stuffing. Then stuff some more.

In the meantime, here’s a photo of my cat glaring at me for daring to sit outside without her, haha.

Once you are sure the ham is packed as tight as it can go (Are you sure? Are you sure you’re sure?), it’s time to sew it up!

Holding the ham between your legs (do as I say, not as I do – don’t set it on the ground; you don’t want to push the narrow end back in!), turn under the seam allowance on one side and lap it over the opposite side. Using a tight whipstitch, sew the opening shut by hand.

Next, you’ll probably want to beat the shit out of your ham (if it’s covered in sawdust like mine, anyway). I just pounded mine against the porch railing until all the dust was knocked off.

This post is turning into one long “That’s What She Said” joke, isn’t it?

End result: Completed Tailor’s Ham!

TO MAKE THE SEAM ROLL:
Unlike the Tailor’s Ham, I didn’t bother making a pattern piece for this one – I just drew it directly on my cotton with a Chaco pen. Draw a 14″x5″ rectangle and round the four corners.

Cut one of each of these rectangles from both your cotton & wool.

Using a 1/2″ seam allowance, sew the two rectangles, right sides together, leaving a 5″ opening in the middle of one long side of the seam roll (I have no idea why I don’t have a photo of this, but I trust you can work this step out). Turn the roll right side out.

Time to stuff that bad boy!

As with the Tailor’s Ham, really stuff and pack each long narrow end before focusing on the middle of the roll. This will ensure that your roll is nice and tightly packed, and hard enough to hold it’s shape.

Once you’ve packed the roll nice and tight with sawdust, turn one seam allowance under and lap it over the opposite side of the opening. Sew this closed by hand.

Again, you’ll probably want to beat the shit out of that thing to get all the dust off. Be aggressive! Honey Badger Seam Roll don’t care!

And here’s the finished seam roll!

And here’s my new pressing family! Yay!
BTW, be sure to save some of that remaining sawdust – once you use the ham or seam roll, you may find the sawdust settling and thus need to be repacked to firm up the shape. Unless you just really love having an excuse to go to Home Depot – in that case, don’t let me stop you.

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSEDAll right, I promised y’all a giveaway so let’s get on that. To win your own copy of the Sewtionary, simply comment on this post and tell me your favorite sewing technique. Are you a freak about pressing (high five!) or is sewing patch pockets your thing, or…? You tell me! This giveaway is open WORLDWIDE and I will close the entries a week from today, on SEPTEMBER 29, 2014 AT 7:00 AM CST. Good luck!GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

If you’d like to buy your own copy of the Sewtionary, you can pick up a signed copy at the Sewaholic website (or a boring ol’ unsigned copy on Amazon). Thanks so much, Tasia, for letting me be part of this book tour & for generously donating a copy to giveaway!

Want to read some more Sewtionary reviews and/or enter some more giveaways? Check out the full blog tour here:

ONE LAST THING – We have a giveaway winner to announce! Lucky number generator says:

Donna, you’re a winner! Is this now offically the second time I’ve made your Monday exciting? 🙂 Congratulations! Sending your email now!

Everyone else (and there were a lot of y’all – nearly 400 entries, wow!) – I’m not turning you away completely empty-handed. Kat has generously offered a coupon code, which is awesome! Use the code LLADYBIRD to get 15% off the purchase of the Jenna Cardi from Muse Patterns, good through 9/29. Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! Y’all are the best 😀

YES!!! I WANT THIS BOOK!!! Okay, enough shouty shout. I like using seam tape for my dress hems and then hand sewing it up. Often, I use an extrememly contrasting color (I tend to sew in loud annoying prints anyway), so if my hem should blow upwards, you get a flash of awesomeness. I’ve made my own ham and seam roll, but I prefer the cedar shavings you get from a pet store—when you iron, you get a pleasant cedar scent! (or does that smell like a hamster cage—aaaaaah!!!

I’m still learning, so I can’t claim skills I don’t have. I really want to learn how to sew the insides of my clothes to look nice though, so whatever skill that is – I needs it! Would loove that book 🙂

This may sound silly but I love slip stitching. It is so relaxing and I kind of feel like a sewing ninja – it holds together but you can’t see any stitches!! Plus it’s the kind of thing that I can take anywhere with me – aka the best pasttime when you’re handing out in line waiting to get into a workshop at Otakuthon. I say yes to more hand-sewing please!

Ooh there is nothing better than a little extremely neat hand-sewing to finish off a hem or sew down a facing or whatnot….totally satisfying 🙂
I also totally geek out with how sneaky understitching is…!! Oh dear, think maybe i need to get me a life 😉

Oooh… I would LOVE to win this book. My favourite sewing technique is – if that counts – using my serger. Since I have it I dare to sew knits and the inside of my selfmade stuff looks so much better. And what I like as well, I try to learn at least one new technique with each thing I create, for example how to insert an invisible zipper or do a special kind of pocket, etc.

Thanks for the chance to win this book (which I would love to get my hands on!) and the very entertaining tutorial. I already have a ham and seam roll and they are were a real game changer for my sewing – love them so much! As for my favourite technique, I think that might be a hand-picked zip, so satisfying to sew and love how they look.

I would love to get my Mits in this book! Looks devine, I would say my all tine fave technique is French seams. When bulk isn’t going to be an issue (usually in the bags I make) I use them. Clothing can be a little tricky, lounge pants are amazing with French seams. Thanks for the opportunity!

I love understitching and I find it so satisfying when I press a lovely understitched seam! I’m generally really lazy when sewing but I understitch even when the instructions don’t include it – what a rebel!!

When I went looking for a tailors ham, the staff at my local shop didn’t even know what I was asking for! It makes such a difference for pressing seams, though. It never occurred to me to make one! thanks for the chance at the book, it looks amazing!

Being a newbie this book would be the perfect match. I’ve just signed up for the Sassy Librarian Craftsy class and see that Christine uses a ham. The timing would be perfect for this book. Thank you for the offer, it looks wonderful!

I learned how to sew french seams earlier this year and I cannot get enough of them. A clean, professional finish every time. Love ’em. Sweet book, thanks for supporting awesome businesses and offering this up to us.

I’ve been thinking about purchasing a tailor’s ham and seam roll but now I’m ready to make one on my own. Thanks! 🙂 Learning the blind hem stitch changed my life. I still need to remind myself about how to fold the fabric every now and then, but I love the finished look!

As much as I love my tailor’s ham (and I do) I think my fav thing is the satisfaction I get from hand stitching down a delicate facing or a hem so that the stitching is practically invisible, inside and out. I just really get a kick out of it even if no one sees it.

Thank you for the lovely giveaway! Very handy tutorial.
It’s seems this book is very good! I wonder to see the table of contents, what other interesting topics are covered. I would like to have it and I hope to be me. Otherwise, I’ll order it 🙂
My favorite sewing technique is sewing zippers.

I was reading through some of the replies, and I’m so new to sewing that I don’t know what a slip stitch is. I’m happy if I can just make a straight stitch! Though I did do a practice french seam in a sewing boot camp class on a pillow and I thought it was pretty cool.

I’m going to echo Jen and say that understitching is my favorite technique. The first time I saw the term I thought that it would be something time-consuming like blind stitching a hem, but when I found out you can do it on a machine, it’s invisible from the outside (and therefore suitable for all garments, formal or casual), and keeps bands and facings from rolling in an unsightly fashion, I was sold. I love techniques that give a garment a more beautiful and durable finish.

So I’m officially scared, because, yes, yes, its patch pockets. I’m obsessed. Its probably unhealthy. I lie in bed at night planning how to stick pockets onto patterns that don’t have pockets… That’s not a joke!

I love tracing patterns onto paper. It’s time consuming and I need it to be perfect, so I should hate it. I don’t, I feel so accomplished after I make a perfect copy and get even more excited to transfer it to fabric.

You have read my mind–I just procured some saw dust from a friend to make a seam roll. Anyhoo, my favorite technique is a Hong Kong finish + underlining in one (I’ll be posting a tutorial at http://www.nicoleathome.com soon!). It’s magical.

Oh, I so need this in my life! I’m a newbie and so every time a technique works for me I get so excited. Understitching blows my mind. I’m still trying to work out seam finishes, when I get there I will be celebrating with champagne and all.

This is a great post and tutorial. I do use pressing tools and have a ham and a seam roll. I’m not sure I’m using them properly though! I love top stitching and edge stitching – as long as I’ve done the underneath layers okay with trimming and perhaps understitching – I love how that makes fabric lie smooth and flat – to think I was scared of doing it previously! I’d love to win Tasia’s book. Thank you Anne

I’m still learning so I haven’t tried a lot of techniques, but I love both French seaming and pressing seams because they satisfy my urge for neatness and precision. (This urge is, alas, not always satisfied by the quality of my actual sewing.)

l feel inspired to do something about the box of sawdust that’s been sitting on my shelf for MONTHS for this very purpose. After seeing your tutorial, I’m wondering why I’ve never got around to just cranking my own wooly pork out.

As far as techniques go, I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite (it’s a pain in the ass), but I definitely try to fit a muslin every time. My garment fails pretty much every time that I don’t. Oh, and I love that double-sided temporary steamy tape, for hems and pockets and junk.

The book looks like it would be a helpful addition to my sewing room. I just love taking a flat piece of fabric and turning it into a wearable garment! I guess my favorite technique is just sewing a nice straight seam, since that’s what starts making the fabric take the shape of the garment.

Haha, so, let’s just say that my post tomorrow is going to be very similar to yours 🙂 apparently we both had the same thing lacking from our studio. Yours looks great though. i wish i had the same luck as you finding sawdust.

Ooh, I was afraid someone was gonna STEAL MY IDEA!! Haha, just kidding! Great minds and all that (we are great minds… right? 🙂 ). Bet your post will be prettier than mine, though! You always take such gorgeous pictures 🙂

Now I have no excuse to ham myself out (ha ha). I wish I was a pressing aficionado, but really I’m more about sewing shortcuts and how to get my garment done the fastest way possible while still looking mighty fine

This book looks awesome. I don’t have a favorite tech but I have a favorite notion. Wonder Wash Away tape. I use that stuff by the mile. Use it to stick the zipper to fleece and your zips go is perfectly – no wave, no stretch. Any tricky matching – stick it together and sew. Knit wants to have a wavy hem, stick that puppy in place first. Maybe if I have more technique I’d need it less – smirk.

I feel like this is a ridiculous thing to love but I love attaching facings to the hem, neck, and arm holes. Especially once you understitch or topstich them down in place. They just look so nice and neat and the garment usually feels ‘finished’ at that point to me.

WOOT! I need all the reference books I can get. I just learned about stay-stitching a neckline. Okay, I knew about it before, but just didn’t think I needed to do it. Here’s hoping it’ll keep my necklines from getting too large.

I could use that book too!!! Much as I learn so much from blogs, I love the feel and smell of a real book. Favorite sewing technique…. The use of “hug snug” in areas I’m stitching and I don’t want them to get all wonky on me! “That’s some good shit!” 🙂 PS, in spin class this morning, I was at anaerobic threshold and the only thing that kept me going was thinking about maybe…. just maybe…. joining in on that Vogue coat sew along….

I am crazy about pressing my pattern pieces before getting started on a project – I can’t stand those wrinkles, and I have had bad experiences in the past trying to cut my fabric from a pattern that is all wonky.

My fave technique at the moment is making french seams (which I learned from you, thank YOU very much!). I don’t have a serger and I love my older machines (they’re from the 80’s baby) so a french seam finishes the inside of my newly sewn garments so nicely!

It took about 30 seconds to go from ‘WOW, that’s brilliant, I’m gonna make one’ to ‘NO WAY JOSE’! My favourite technique is making and sewing bias binding (my eyes are itching just looking at that sawdust). Really love your blog btw

Lately I have been very fond of a basting my hem press line before pressing in a different color and then just press along seam. I don’t remember where I picked up this method but it makes hemming, especially hemming curved lines, so much less tedious

I just kind of eyeballed it. The widest point is 10″, then the narrowest wide point is 8″ (if that makes sense). I think they are about 4-6″ apart from the center, and then the ends are tapered and curved.

My favorite sewing technique would have to be French Seams. Its something I have perfected recently and instead of trying to zig-zag raw edges a french seam really makes the inside of a garment look nice! This gal just cant afford to spring for a serger but maybe once day her dreams will come true! Thanks for doing the give away I always love reading your blog and the tutorial was awesome! I learned a lot I had no idea what a Ham was!

Thanks for the hilarious (but useful!) tutorial and giveaway! I’d love to win this book, obviously. My favorite technique that I *don’t* suck at is probably a toss-up between hand-stitched blind hems and French seams; I use both of them as often as I can.

Thank you for the tutorial and the giveaway. This book sounds terrific. I sure would like to win it. My favorite sewing technique is using a flat plastic table around my sewing machine to sew knits. That way the fabric stays flat and doesn’t stretch while sewing. I got one from my Bernina dealer. Sew Steady tables sells them to fit a variety of machines and sergers.

Tasia’s blog was one of the first I followed, her patterns are gorgeous, she is soooo generous with tutorials and her instructions are totally idiot-proof. AND she got us all to thinking about cake and icing! My favorite technique I learned from her blog is understitching as it creates such a neat finish. And while I’m at it, thank you Lauren for your tute’s, your sewalongs, your tips and for de-grannying sewing – you show it as the cool thing it actually is!

I don’t sew with a machine (I want to get a machine, I just haven’t… yet. Where do you start with that?) and I basically just use a running stitch or whipstitch for everything so I guess that’s my favourite technique because I don’t use any others.

Actually, I’m really just commenting because I feel bad for you about the messy sawdust sitch. Girl, ain’t you got a funnel?! Seriously, so much easier and less messy…

It has amazed me to hear many sewers do not prepare their fabrics. To me it is probably more important than needle size type thread or to serge or not. Everything I sew which is a lot of apparel sewing I wash or even dry clean my fabrics first. Especially now when fabric is so costly why make a lovely creation that can be worn once because it shrunk when washed. I also make Muslims for much of the clothes I make but the prep of my fabric is at top of my list.

Thank you for that tutorial on the tailors ham I’ve been wanting one for ages!
I also would LOVE this book!
I would say have to say my fav technique would have to be rolled hems, they are just so neat and cute on fine fabric, and quite relaxing to sew as well!

Thanks for sharing this tutorial – looks pretty simple, just by now i’ve realized that no thing that looks simple and fast in a tutorial will be just as fast and simple when my hands finally get to it 😀

Awesome tutorial! I have been thinking about making both but had no idea you could get saw dust from home depot like that! This project just moved way higher up on my to do list. As for technique for the giveaway I have been loving anything I can finish with a French seam. I love to make things for my sister and friends and it’s always so nice to hear how impressed they are by such an easy but pretty finishing technique.

You crack me up! I am going to make myself these sewing tools. As a newbie, the sewing techniques I really like are patterned fabric facings and neat seam finishes of all descriptions, especially bound (Hong Kong?). It’s the chance to have the touches of individuality and luxury that you don’t get in RTW (not in my budget anyway!).

I just started a sewing pattern design class and I love it. One day, I will be able to make my own perfect fitted clothes (I hope). The class is a two years course, so I have to be patient.
This book would be very welcome, I would love to learn some new techniques.
Thanks for the give away!

I really want this book. It has been on my wish list for a few months. My favorite technique is understitiching a facing to help it roll to the inside. French seams run a close second. I learned this seam finish at an early age and used it for my first brocade formal gown many years ago.

Wow, that book sounds amazing! I actually do like to iron, so I would be glad to learn some more about it and maybe even make my own tailors ham some time.
By the way, I recently used your felt pocket tutorial on a pair of historical Knickerbockers and it worked amazingly well, considering that it was the first time that I made those. So thank you very much for your great blog, and many greetings from London, Nora

The first time I made my own bias binding it went perfectly and instantly became my new favourite thing. Of course second time it was a right mess so I went off it a bit ha! That and French seams are pretty much my only techniques so far what with me still being a enthusiastic but inept beginner

Oh, that’s a good question! I should really have an answer ready, huh? 🙂 It’s hard to say – all techniques are my favorite (they are like children for me). The thing that first comes to mind, though, is understitching. It’s so basic and simple, but so so SO effective. I understitch the shit out of everything! Don’t ever make me stop! haha! 🙂

Dang! I love books that save me money or teach me new tricks. My favorite trick is adding piping… anywhere! Hems, seams, etc, anywhere where a good piping contrast fits in and looks nice. It’s getting to the point where I’m thinking of making tons of piping just for my stash.

Whenever I get a chance to have extra wool (living in a desert doesn’t really require wool garments), I’m gonna make my own tailoring ham and seam roll.

I’ve only just started my own sewing adventure (working on Grainline’s Scout tee this weekend, my first solo sewing project!) but I am already messing around with changing things as I go – I drafted a tiny patch pocket and sewed it on yesterday, and it makes me inordinately happy. So, I guess that’s my favorite sewing technique? haha. Thanks for the giveaway, and for sharing your own stories and prowess! You’re a huge inspiration for those of us starting out.

Being in Canada, I guess I can’t get sawdust, so I might try making these with cedar shavings – they would smell good, at least! Thanks for posting the tutorial.
I would have to say top stitching is my favourite technique. It makes everything look professionally finished.

I love the title of this book! I would enjoy this book for sure and will be following your tutorial. I need me a ham! My favorite technique is the ladder stitch. I use it to attach the binding to a quilt. It creates such a neat and flawless look.

What a great looking book! One of my favorite techniques is French seams… but I’m often too lazy to sew them on anything that’s for me. If it’s for a friend or family member, I almost always French seam. They’re so clean!

I am really getting to know more about seam finishes in the last few weeks and would love a quick reference guide to help me master some new techniques! I’m also fascinated by a whole section on pressing! This book looks beautiful 🙂

My favorite sewing thing
is the step in the Colette Negroni where you press the seam allowance of the sleeve head and then use a SINGLE PIN to secure the sleeve to the shoulder seam and then sew the seam and then flat-fell the curve
with ONE PIN
magic
I was SHOCKED that it wasn’t in the Hawthorn pattern instructions as well and immediately made the necessary modifications (trimmed 1/4″ off the armscyes front & back) so I can do it ALL THE TIME on ALL THE BUTTON SHIRT THINGS FOREVER
because it is the Best Magic Thing
ONE PIN
it’s been almost 2 months since I learned this and I’m still not over it

My favorite sewing technique. At the moment? French seams. I just learned how to make them. I recently made the Sewaholic Belcarra in a lovely lightweight wine-colored fabric. French seams everywhere. It made my top look and feel extra-special.

I’m a self covered buckle and belt making freak!! I love making a belt to match my dress or skirt, it’s extremely addictive and fun and looks great. Love your blog so much, it’s the best one. Thanks for all your tips xxx

Well, I’ve been on a roll with home dec/sewing room improvement projects lately, so why not add this to the list? I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before that I could get sawdust for free from my handy-dandy carpenter boyfriend, but since that makes it extra free I need to get on this. I’ve needed one for years and have just been too darn lazy.

I really love putting in zippers construction-method style; ie, sewing them to the zipper area right sides together, then attaching the facing and waistband, then topstiching. Tasia had a good tutorial in her Crescent Skirt sewalong. No hand sewing involved! Anything that gets me out of hand sewing a win in my books 🙂

The first time I sewed a flat-felled seam I swooned! I was so proud of it and I couldn’t stop looking at it- it really made my pants look like RTW (but better fitting :)) Not sure that counts as a “technique” so I’ll add this: I love putting hem tape on the inside of a hem (when appropriate) and then blind stitching it down-it looks so professional and makes me feel like a million bucks when I wearing the garment…even though I’m the only one that can see it!! Thanks for the opportunity to possibly win a copy of this awesome book.

I’m into only sewing knits right now, so my favorite sewing technique is using double fold elastic. When I first read the Coletterie knit book I scoffed at double fold elastic, thinking “how hard can it be?!”. I underestimated it for sure. I’m still working to make my double fold look professional.

Personally, I am crazy anal about just not rushing. I don’t care if I have to make 3 full muslins to make something fit me – I used to constantly cut corners to speed things along and I ended up with a bunch of things that didn’t fit right or were put together really shoddy. Now if I don’t know how to do something, I pause and look it up before I screw it up. Or I make another muslin before I cut into my “real” fabric. This book would be a great resource and fit right in with me, lol.

I’ve considered purchasing a tailor’s ham before, but never gone through with it. This is a great tutorial! I’d love to get my hands on the rest of this book, it looks like it would be full of interesting tidbits.

I am in a Babylock serger club and it is so much fun! I’m learning so many new techniques, my serger is an all-in-one BEAST! I’ve made piping, ruffled, blankets, netting for a homemade produce bag, bomb navajo inspired mittens… the list goes on and on. So I don’t have a favorite technique other than right now I just really love my serger. it’s bomb.com

I really like the fact that you did a tutorial from the book instead of a ‘normal’ promo post!
My favorite sewing technique at the moment is how to sew square patch pockets. I always struggled until I found out how to sew mittred corners. Huge difference!

The book looks amazing! I should totally suck it up and make a ham and sleeve roll with your nice tutorial instead of trying to press my curves around the edge of the ironing board (yikes!). I kind of love hand sewing (catch stitching and hand picked zippers) even though a lot of people seem to complain about it. I like the control it gives you and the neat finish even if I also think it doesn’t seem as strong as a machine stitch.

My favourite sewing technique is probably to insert an invisible zipper with an invisible zipper foot – simply because I’m lazy and that it amazes me every single time how it is SO MUCH easier to insert a zipper that way compared to the regular way!

I’m a French seam freak. I put them wherever I can cos I like the inside to look as good as the outside. This is a great tutorial. At the moment I’m using a rolled up towel as a seam pressy thing. I really need to make a proper one and my husband always has loads of sawdust cos he’s a woodworking freak.

I am so new at sewing that I don’t have a particular favourite: anything I manage to do, that becomes my new favourite! Anyway, time to change that! I really hope to win the book, so I can learn how to sew properly instead of winging it. Please, let it be me!!!

My fav technique is for sure hand picked zipper! When I started sewing, I was afraid of using the zip foot..even now I’ve learned, I do prefer the hand version.
Tnx for sharing that tutorial, I need both in my (sewing)life, although the windy weather here does not make it apropriate for outside crafting! Ha!

I recently learned how to put in a no fail invisible zipper by basting the opening/seam closed, then baste each Sid of the tape to the seam allowances. You then take out the center basting and using a regular zipper foot, stitch close to the teeth to finish. Sounds like many steps, but since using this technique….PERFECTION every time! Hope to win the Sewtionary 😉

I love Sewaholic patterns, I kind of collect them! This book seems awsome, I’m pretty sure it would look great on my sewing room 🙂
My favorite technique is… I don’t know, I like pretty much everything about sewing, except for darts. I hate darts! But to choose, I’d pick the French seams. Why ? Because I find it funny that in French (I’m French) we call them “couture Anglaise” Every time I think about it, it makes me laugh 😀

I really want this book! it looks fantastic! I guess my favourite technique would be using pinking shears to finish seams. I love how it looks; it reminds me of the garments my grandmother used to make. Maybe when I am more than a beginner I might move on to french seams or something.

I’m pretty new to sewing, so I don’t think I’ve found a favourite technique yet. But I’ve started to appreciate darts, I never noticed them before I started to sew, and now I realise what and why they are. It’s fun to start to understand how clothes “work”.

French seams. I have a serger, yet hardly use it now that I have figured out how french seams work. Such a clean look and easy too! Makes me happy just looking at the finished seam, especially on my expensive stuff like liberty lawns 🙂

I totally second Jen’s comment!:
“Ooh there is nothing better than a little extremely neat hand-sewing to finish off a hem or sew down a facing or whatnot….totally satisfying 🙂
I also totally geek out with how sneaky understitching is…!! Oh dear, think maybe i need to get me a life ;)”

Understitching makes me feel like a true Scorpio! So mysterious and sneaky, but sleek and awesome! And a hand-sewn hem got me a Grand Champion ribbon in the State Fair clothing 4-H entry I submitted in the 8th grade, so I’m always a fan of a nice little bit of handsewing! 😉

I was given the best tip EVER in my early sewing years: IRON every seam as you go along. I believe this keeps everything clean looking and makes the following seams easy to match and line up giving the whole garment and completed and finished look.

I’m sure this book must be filled with more tips to make my sewing easier…should I cross my scissors?

So, that book would make a lovely addition to my sewing library! I love having resources so that when I’m stuck I can refer to something and unstick myself. Unfortunately, I already bought a ham, but I like the sleeve roll!! I definitely need to add a smaller size to my tools. Personally, the mess of all that sawdust will likely mean I’ll buy one before I make one, but I love that yours match.

My favourite technique is basting. I find I make errors if I pin baste, so I use up all those bobbin threads and baste just about everything. I am also an advocate of press as you sew. Seam roll and ham at the ready.

Sign me in! My favourite technique doesn’t have a name, I guess: I like sewing as much seams as possible before turning in the iron; then I’ll iron as many seams as possible before getting back to the sewing machine.
Time saving, maybe?

Regarding real-life techniques, I love basting seams to make sure I’ll get a nice finish.

Uh… sheesh..my favorite technique is cutting out the fabric and that doesn’t count because it’s not sewing, but its what I’m BEST at. I just got my serger re figured out after I let it run out of the spools it came with then let it languish for two years, and I’ve been having fun with that!

Thanks so much for a chance to winners book, it really looks great. My favourite sewing technique, or better ‘moment’ is when, after a lot of hard work, you get to turn everything inside out and it actually looks like something decent!

This book sounds great! I have recently invested in a ham, and think I may now need to make myself a sleeve roll to match. One of my current favourite techniques is french seaming (almost) everything. It makes insides so pretty!

Ahh great work on the pressing ham. Love the fabric you’ve gone for, can’t beat a good check pattern!

Personally, I love anything hand sewing or embroidery, not sure if this really counts but I’m much more of a ‘fly by the seat of my pants’ kind of crafter! Any free hand embellishment or needle work and I’m a happy bunny! I suppose this book would help me greatly with the finer points of technical sewing ; )

I’m just a beginner but I have recently been taught the tailors tack (my mother is a great teacher) and it’s genius, so simple yet I’d never have thought about it. I will definitely be adding this book to my collection whether I win it or not!

Thanks for this tutorial (and all your tutorials!). I’m returning to sewing after a long hiatus, but this time I have a serger and I looove it! I work with a lot of knits, and hands down my favorite sewing thing right now is serging.

I love hand finishing. I know many hate it but I love it. I love making tiny delicate stitches to sew bias binding on invisibly and hemming stuff so hems don’t show….. and recently, I am into exposed hand stitching – I’ve made a couple of things, a fitted short/semi crop top in a linen mix which I faced with bias, which I stitched down with sort of saddle stitching in thick buttonhole type thread – keeping the stitches even from the edge, but deliberately uneven in length to give off even more handmade vibe. today I’m wearing the other thing I made like this – a Colette Truffle in beige linen, I left the overlay unfinished and didn’t hem the dress, so the linen is fraying nicely:). And I didn’t line it, I self-biased the neck and armholes and finished them with thick thread same way. Love….. it takes away some of the dressy vibe of the dress and gives it a little edge:)

I love overlocking (or serging) at the moment as I’ve just got a new BabyLock Imagine – thanks to you I might add (well the video you put on your instagram of you threading yours) I showed my husband the video as I was so amazed by it and I was having a lot of trouble getting the tension right on my Singer overlocker and then 2 weeks later I opened up my birthday present to find my very own BabyLock! My last 6 projects have all been knits!

I wish I was one to press every seam or make muslins, but I am sometimes found skipping these stages in my rush and enthusiasm to finish things. My thing is designing all my new clothes, mainly dresses, from my own block, I find this works well for sizing and makes life easier.

I’m not a great sewer but I love finishing the inside of any project (lining, binding, seam finish techniques) because I like the inside to be beautiful and feel good. Thanks for having this giveaway, fingers crossed.

I love a good old invisible zip…but I have a confession to make…I have never put in a zip that is not an invisible zip, the idea of a lapped zip terrifies me slightly! Does the book have some help on that? 🙂

mmmm this book looks delicious and so very very handy! I recently rediscovered my sewing machine accessories box full of different feet including a rolled hem foot. I tried using it for the first time on the hem of a summer top and I loved the finish.

I’m a fiend for understitching. I have no idea why but there’s something so damm satisfying about making a facing behave itself couture style. I’ve been a die hard sewaholic fan from the beginning and would love to have the Sewtionary on my desk.

This book looks fantastic. I think my favorite thing about sewing is drafting the pattern….but that’s not technically sewing or even a specific technique. Shit. I guess my favorite technique is understitching, it kinda feels like magic.

that is one gorgeous book. I’d love a copy. while I’ve been sewing off and on for years I never really took the time to learn how to do more complicated techniques. I’ve finally mastered the invisible zipper and feel ready to learn more. bring it on.

Thanks for your generosity, Lauren! I was thinking I would get this copy for my niece, who’s just starting to sew, but hmmmm I might just keep it for myself. One of my favorite techniques is one I first learned from Beth at SunnyGal Studios: to clean-finish a facing when using fusible interfacing, stitch the interfacing to the facing right sides together, then turn and fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the facing. No further edge finishes needed!

I would LOVE to win a copy of this book! If it’s anything like reading through her patterns I know I will love it. Anyhow, one of my favorite techniques is hemming and applying bindings with my coverstitch machine. It gives such a professional finish.

I enjoy French seams. I also like to take my sweet time with cutting – always single layer. If the shape is rectangular, I will happily cut along pulled threads. If I’m using pattern pieces, I trace them onto the fabric first. Time-consuming, but it works for me 🙂

I just love reading your blog! I have been sewing for a long time and find myself in a rut sometimes by doing what I know. Your blogs help me see that experimentation is essential to expand the foundation of knowledge. My favorite technique is any and all details that are and can be added to a garment. I enjoy fabric manipulation and making my own fabric from
those manipulations especially for children’s clothing.

Favorite, I don’t know. One of the most life saving has been to learn to cut open button holes (I use my seam ripper – no fancy gadgets here) by cutting open the button hole from outside in. I mean that I insert the ripper at the bartack end and gently cut towards the middle, repeat at the other end and hopefully no more Jack the Ripper slashed buttonholes on newly completed garments. Yes, I’ve ruined perfectly good garments until I trained myself to go outside in.

I want all the sewing books! When I made my ham, I didn’t quite fill it enough, so I need to add just a little more sawdust next time I’m at my parents’ (they buy it in 6 cubic ft. bags for their horses).

I’m back to sewing after a fairly long hiatus and I’m trying to relearn a lot of stuff that I’ve forgotten. I just installed my first invisible zipper (that shit is crazy!) but I think my favorite technique is a hand-sewn hem. It takes a long time to do on certain pieces but the finished neatness is totally worth it!

My favorite sewing technique is to use those strange, ravelly, or unusual selvedges as trim. Usually inserted as you would piping. My latest (new to me) technique is to get knit (cheap jersey) sheets at the local Goodwill to use as muslin/toile for lightweight knits. Lots of fabric for cheap.

Wow, that book looks awesome! I can’t wait to get my hands on it! I’m a sewing newb, so I don’t really have any skills. I guess my favorite skill would be sewing 2 pieces of fabric together and it looking half way presentable lol

Oh I love a nicely finished seam or hem, especially if bound with bias tape or pretty ribbon. It also forces me to be patient – I just want to finish the garment not muck around on seam finishes, but I always appreciate and love the end result.
And iron-on interfacing – it’s like magic and for some reason it is just so satisfying to me!! 🙂

I love your seam roll and ham, such stylish fabrics you’ve used, they look great! My favourite technique is probably invisible zips, I have a foot which makes it super easy and I love that they come out perfect (almost) every time!

I need this book, I’m stuck with just regular stitching and making quilts. I would love to expand my sewing skills. I love pressing after sewing block together. The hot iron brings the fabric smell out and just gives me a feeling of accomplishment. Thanks for the chance.ncjeepster@aol.com

Great tutorial! They look just like mine (made by my mom). Favorite technique: welt pockets ant flip linings. Intrigued to see the new book! I do so enjoy reading your blog-thoughts like how different three t shirt patterns can be are not just walking around my neighborhood!

Yay! I so need to make a tailor’s ham, I always end up rolling up a towel or whatever else is lying around… I think my favourite sewing technique has to be topstitching. I would never buy a special foot for it because I get a strange satisfaction from sewing perfectly straight lines freehand!

Hmm. I don’t have a favorite yet, as I’m learning, but I want to rule making darts. They kinda scare me, so I want to be a champion of them. (I did this when I was learning how to insert IV’s after nursing school, and I did quite well…so hopefully this type of positive thinking will have me be ruling the dart in no time)

Hi Lauren!!
I have a question about the tutorial.
Do you know why one side should be made of wool?
It’s just I found some scraps of a very sturdy-wooly-fabric that I am not sure is wool, and everywhere I look people say it has to be wool on one side.

well, actually, Tilly(and the buttons) made it all with cotton, and argument on other places is that the wool side should be used for fabrics requiring lower temperatures. But if cotton can stand higher temperatures, I don’t see the point.
do you?

Hey! First of all – if you’re not sure of the fiber content – burn that shit! Anything that smells like hair will probably be wool; anything that melts or smells plastic-y indicates that there is some poly blended in there. I do NOT suggest using a poly blend to make your ham; you don’t want to melt it if you turn up the heat.

That’s a good question about whether or not to actually use wool. I’ve never considered why you’d need wool/cotton sides, I just went with it haha 🙂 Maybe the wooly side helps retain any little bit of nap? Or absorbs some of the heat for lower-heat fabrics? Something to look into, I guess! I think an all-cotton ham would probably be fine. FWIW, I don’t use a specific side based on the heat I’m putting on… I just use whatever I grab first. I also have a shoe on my iron, so that keeps the scorching and melting to a minimum.

you know, I always burn it, and I am never sure! well, wool and cotton I know, silk is still uncertain… I should have kept those notes from fashion school… ughhh!!!
after spending the day wondering, I think there might be a reason(as you mentioned) for wool on one side. So I’ll just OBEY! lol
thank you for your reply!

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[…] over a tailor’s ham if you have one (and if you don’t have one, might I suggest this lovely tutorial for making your own? har har), to smooth out the curves and make sure that all the bias is pressed to the inside of the […]